Description

The objective of resective epilepsy surgery is the complete resection or complete disconnection of the epileptogenic zone, which is defined as the area of cortex indispensable for the generation of clinical seizures. Ideally this aim should be accomplished without damaging the "eloquent" cortex. The epileptogenic zone can currently not be measured directly. Therefore, a variety of diagnostic tools such as analysis of seizure semiology, neurophysiological techniques, functional testing as well as structural and functional neuroimaging are used to indirectly define the location and boundaries of the epileptogenic zone. These diagnostic methods define different cortical zones (symptomatogenic zone, irritative zone, ictal onset zone, stimulation induced seizure zone, functional deficit zone, and the epileptogenic lesion) which all are a more or less precise index of the location and extent of the epileptogenic zone. The ability to precisely define these zones is essential to best appreciate the topography of the epileptogenic zone.

This volume provides an up to date and complete overview of the methods used in clinical neurophysiology as well as structural and functional imaging used to delineate these different zones currently as well as methods currently applied as research tools which may evolve to be used in clinical practice in the future.